I am trying to remove the glass screen from my fireplace so that I can clean the glass. It is a gas fireplace.

There are screws that I need to remove but the threads on them have stripped and one of them is missing the head completely.
How do I remove these screws?

I think they may also be melted in there.

Thanks for you help.

Pittsville

10-11-2011 11:25 AM

Stripped, broken head and melted. Doesn't sound very promising.

If the screw is large enough, you can try a screw extractor set. Otherwise, you may have to drill it out, re-tap the hole and install a larger screw. Post a photo or two if you can.

Bud Cline

10-11-2011 03:05 PM

Machine threads or wood?:)

Wildie

10-11-2011 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bud Cline
(Post 746593)

Machine threads or wood?:)

Bud, I doubt that the doors for a fire place would be made of wood! :eek:

Wildie

10-11-2011 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yummy mummy
(Post 746485)

I am trying to remove the glass screen from my fireplace so that I can clean the glass. It is a gas fireplace.

There are screws that I need to remove but the threads on them have stripped and one of them is missing the head completely.
How do I remove these screws?

I think they may also be melted in there.

Thanks for you help.

If some of the screws have their heads broken off, perhaps someone has already tried to remove them and broke the heads off.
I think that you may be correct, that they are 'melted' in there.
The glass in fireplace doors is rarely removed. If its possible at all, it may be best to clean the glass with it left in place.
The only other option would be to drill out the screws and re-tap the holes.

Bud Cline

10-11-2011 05:21 PM

Quote:

Bud, I doubt that the doors for a fire place would be made of wood!

No kidding!!! Do ya think?

That doesn't mean there aren't sheet metal screws that look like wood threads.
Seemed the simpler way to ask the question.

Yummy understands.:)

Ron6519

10-11-2011 11:20 PM

I doubt they are melted, more likely frozen. You can spray them with PB blaster and wait a few days to unscrew them. Or you can use a screw extractor to back them out. Either way, I'd use the Blaster.
It works on exhaust systems on 40 year old cars like a charm.

yummy mummy

10-12-2011 04:44 PM

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions.

This is my brother-in-laws fireplace. I will ask that he send me a photo.
He wants to clean the inside of the glass as it looks really foggy.

jfrotten

10-12-2011 08:07 PM

Be careful with the pb blaster... It works great but is flammable!

oldhouseguy

10-12-2011 08:46 PM

If you have no head, I take this to mean you have no eyes to read this... so I think all the advice on here is in vain.

:whistling2:

yummy mummy

10-12-2011 11:03 PM

1 Attachment(s)

He told me that he used a torque screwdriver (whatever that is....lol)

If it has a grippable head, you can try a vise grip. If not, use a screw extractor. You drill a hole in the center of the screw and insert the extractor and unscrew it from the inside. You need to drill the hole with the correct soze bit associated with the extractor size.. It has to be to the correct depth and not an "enlarged" hole you get with wobbling the bit.
You can buy an extractor set for a variety of screw sizes. It should run under $20.00

Wildie

10-13-2011 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron6519
(Post 747858)

If it has a grippable head, you can try a vise grip. If not, use a screw extractor. You drill a hole in the center of the screw and insert the extractor and unscrew it from the inside. You need to drill the hole with the correct soze bit associated with the extractor size.. It has to be to the correct depth and not an "enlarged" hole you get with wobbling the bit.
You can buy an extractor set for a variety of screw sizes. It should run under $20.00

Ron, I must be terribly unlucky, as I inveribly break the extractor off in the screw and the I'm in real deep trouble.
The extractor is made of hardened steel that is impossible to re-drill.
I would only us an extractor, when I have given up on removing the screw and don't care anymore, whether I hack it up, or not!

yummy mummy

10-13-2011 01:51 PM

Thanks everyone.

Thank you very much Ron. I will tell him to use a screw extractor and drill a pilot hole first. I think that should do it.